Health, Nutrition and Fitness with Crohn's Disease

Health Induced Bliss – My advice to those on their own health and fitness journey

It’s been over 10 years that I have been heavily involved in health and fitness. I have always been into fitness coming from an athletic background but it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease that I immersed myself further into health, nutrition and fitness.

Having an incurable disease has created a new awareness making me appreciate my health more than ever before. You’ve never truly appreciated what it is like to feel good until you have experienced serious health issues for yourself. A blessing and a curse, Crohn’s has strengthened the connection I have with my body and mind. I can read the signals my body is telling me that I just didn’t notice before. Backing off the intensity, eating the wrong foods and ignoring stress are just a few things that I am now so much more aware of.

Putting health first and foremost has been the best thing I’ve done for my body and physique. Eating a diet rich in whole, nutrient dense foods, foods enriched in probiotics and removing all artificial sweeteners has me feeling better than I have in a long time.

A whole new outlook on nutrition opens up once you make the association that nothing tastes better than healthy feels. Over time, the craving for unhealthy foods stop, allowing for a leaner, more muscular body composition that I can maintain year round with the least amount of effort I’ve had to put in in over 10 years of training.

Focusing on mobility and more athletic style training has led to improved athleticism, longevity and overall fitness rather than training strictly for aesthetics. I am constantly finding new areas to improve on keeping things fun and exciting while making fitness something I look forward to each day rather than a chore.

The amount of knowledge I’ve gained since I started my journey is incomparable to what I knew when I started. A true feeling of bliss sets in when you begin to understand how to read the signs your body is giving you and how to fuel your body intuitively.

I do not claim to have all the answers but take it from me, you’ll be a lot further ahead in the long run if you focus on putting your health and wellbeing first. Soak up as much information as you can and keep experimenting by changing things up to find what works best for you. Prioritize sleep, eat healthy, stay active, motivated and always continue learning.

Whether you are new to fitness, recently diagnosed or regardless of where you are at on your own journey, I can guarantee you that all areas of your life will benefit from prioritizing health.

It doesn’t come overnight, it may be overwhelming and there is no finish line. Working towards something that you are passionate about and strengthens you mentally and physically is never a waste of time. If you focus on becoming a better version of yourself every day, everything else will fall into place.